Pleasure for Payne puts fizz into Isle of Man flat game

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MAUREEN PAYNE’S 21-19 win over Siti Zalina Ahmad, the Commonwealth Games champion from Malaysia, in the women’s world outdoor singles championship at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, yesterday was a feather in the Isle of Man’s cap. Sadly, the effort that produced that historic victory sapped Payne’s energy and she admitted to being extremely tired after losing 21-1 to Ruti Gilor, of Israel, later in the day.

“I’d prefer to remember this morning’s match,” Payne said with a sigh as her husband and team coach, Roger, expressed his opinion that “Maureen’s win over the Malaysian was great, but consistency is everything in